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Florida education news: Strikers, shootings, students and more

A roundup of stories from around the state.
 
Published Feb. 19, 2018

STRIKERS: Fed up with low pay, poor funding and a new governor who wouldn't listen, Florida's teachers walked off their jobs fifty years ago. They won many concessions, and grew into a forceful union. Today, though, many educators sense the state has swung back the other way. They plan rallies and other activities to mark the anniversary of the strike, and also to launch a campaign of their own to fight for their vision of public education. More from the Washington Post.

AFTER THE SHOOTING: Parkland students mobilize to lobby for gun control in Tallahassee and Washington. • They're also talking about school walkouts in protest, USA Today reports. • Some Hillsborough County students honor the victims of the Parkland shooting, adding their voices to the chorus asking how many more victims must be hurt before new action occurs. • Marjory Stoneman Douglas High's principal sends a message to his students, the Miami Herald reports. • Pasco County's lead school resource officer offers advice on what to do if there's a shooter in your school. (Podcast) • Hillsborough County's school police chief advises employees to stop advertising gaps in their schools' safety plans. • One Tampa school goes into lockdown mode as a drive-by shooting takes place as students head home. • See what your Florida lawmakers are saying about guns after the Parkland school shooting. • A private school in Pensacola raises questions with its fundraiser that offers guns as prizes, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. • More from the Miami Herald.

IS THERE SCHOOL TODAY? Depends where you live. Students in Pasco and Hillsborough should report for classes on President's Day, while those in Pinellas and Hernando can stay home.

TURNAROUNDS: Hillsborough County school district leaders again reconsider their approach to improving their schools that struggle the most on state exams.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Florida gets another extension on its deadline to revise its ESSA plan.

OUTREACH: A group of Flagler County eighth graders volunteer helping people with special needs, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

TEACHER BONUSES: More than 163,000 Florida teachers and principals receive a Best and Brightest award, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

SUPERINTENDENTS: Four local administrators and one teacher are in the running to become Palm Beach County's next superintendent, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

RESOURCE OFFICERS: Leon County school district leaders say their school resource officer program has enough funding to continue, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

TEACHER SHORTAGE: Supporters of a Manatee County property tax referendum say they hope the revenue would help improve teacher salaries and fill vacancies, the Herald-Tribune reports.

FREE MEALS: Monroe County schools are running a daily deficit in their free- and reduced-price meal program, the Keynoter reports.